The United Nations declared 2001 the ‘International Year of Volunteers’ and Larry Duke serves as an extraordinary model for that endeavour. This spring he won a Gold Public Service Award from the Public Service Employee Relations Commission for his outstanding volunteer work in the communities on the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii.

Larry works as a Resource Technician in the QCI district. He’s been there since 1997.

That’s how he makes his living.

His list of volunteer jobs, though, is considerably longer:

• Queen Charlotte City Volunteer Fire Department, September 1997 to present.
• Queen Charlotte Boys Club/ Beaver, September 1997 to present.
• Queen Charlotte All Island Search and Rescue Society, November 1999 to present.
• B.C. Ambulance Service (Queen Charlotte Paramedic Society), February 1999 to present.

As well, Larry volunteers for the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Royal Canadian Legion, works as a kitchen assistant at the Robbie Burns Day Community Feast, helps with the Hospital Day Fundraiser Parade, the Queen Charlotte Christmas hamper program, and numerous other, smaller events.

As his nomination said, Larry’s activities reflect positively on the ministry and public service generally. "Smaller communities rely on a very few exceptional people who always offer their time, energy, effort, humour, enthusiasm and ideas to a variety of volunteer based events and organizations. Larry Duke is one of these exceptional people."

Larry grew up in Victoria and earned a BSc. (with Distinction) from the University of Victoria. He moved to the Charlottes as a co-op student and hasn’t looked back since. When he’s not busy with his many volunteer activities, he can be found cruising on the ocean, enjoying his boat, fishing, hiking, or playing drums in a rock band he founded with three other guys from our Queen Charlotte office.

Larry and a friend have also, in the past year, started a speciality cake-making business for restaurants in the community, weddings, birthdays, and such. It is rapidly growing into the best-known bakery in the area—the cakes are extremely professional and absolutely delicious!

Forest Service Duo win big at Provincial Engineering Meeting
By Sandy Currie, Engineering and Operations

One hundred and sixteen Forest Service staff attended the 2001 Provincial Engineering meeting in Richmond March 6-8. They included engineering staff from districts, regions and Victoria as well as SBFEP engineering staff and district managers.

The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the first P.J.J. Hemphill Award for excellence in engineering. Pete Hemphill was Director of the "old" Engineering Branch, and also ADM, Operations.

The co-winners were Daryl Hunt of Penticton District and Norm Larson of Kispiox.

Congratulations Daryl and Norm.

Kispiox auction brings in silver

Kispiox Forest District staff won a Public Service Employee Relations Commission Silver Public Service Award in June in recognition for their work raising money in an annual auction for charity.

The Kispiox Forest District launched its Annual Charity Auction in 1987, initially as an in-office event that raised about $400.

Then local community support developed and businesses in Hazelton, Smithers and Terrace got involved. Over the past six years, the auction has raised $50,000.

A PSERC Certificate of Appreciation "for outstanding volunteer service" honours all Kispiox staff volunteers and, to commemorate the United Nations’ International Year of Volunteers, each staff member gets a IYV vest.

Our Steve beats them all

Steve Lindsey, a 19-year veteran of the Fort Nelson Forest District, scored at the top of his class this spring in an advanced silviculture course at UBC.

The course was the last one he needed to complete his Forest Management Institute diploma. Steve, forest practices officer in the district, had the highest mark among 19 students from government, industry and the consultant sector.

"This was a significant achievement and we’re all very proud of Steve," said operations manager Myles Thorp.

McBride FS people give and win
By Dona Stapley

In this very small community – McBride, pop. about 700 – volunteers are extremely important to residents’ quality of life. The Robson Valley Forest District Office here employs 28 full-time staff and most of these people volunteer in the community. They help in many ways, from taking part in municipal government to tying laces for young figure skaters.

In small communities, the tax base, is also small, so volunteers provide residents with services that wouldn’t otherwise exist. Here in McBride, each club and organization contributes in some way to the richness of the life. As an office, we contribute to community life by supporting the Chamber of Commerce Trade Show. We take part in the community’s Festival of Lights program and we organize and finance a Christmas project that supports several families.

In addition to the group activities, many of us also volunteer personal time to the community. We are:

• Girl Guide and Beaver leaders
• Minor hockey and skating coaches and managers
• Executive and board members of Minor Hockey, Curling Club, Slowpitch League, Ducks Unlimited, the Daycare Society and the Playground Enhancement Society
• Village councillors and Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission members and executive
• Slowpitch and wrestling coaches
• Curling club executive members
• Parent contributors to figure skating, school functions and fund raisers for our children and the community
• Santa’s elves at Christmas
• Members of the Hospital Auxiliary;
• Many of us help older folk, enabling them to retain their independence and live in their own homes longer.
• We participate as members of the Fire Department, Ambulance Society and Search and Rescue
• We hold executive positions in the Robson Valley Entertainment Association and are members of the community hall society
• We are active in our churches
• We participate in and help organize annual bird count and trail upgrades with the Ozalenka Alpine Club and Fraser’s Headwaters Alliance
• We help with the annual ski club loppet (a long-distance cross-country ski race)
• We dress in costume and participate in the live nativity scene at the festival of lights
• And we referee and umpire sports events throughout the year.

I believe that we can all be very proud of our tradition of volunteering.